I’ll never forget picking up the debut Skid Row album back in 1989, as a 13 year old it blew my mind, and continued to help shape my music journey through the late 80’s. I’m also not scared to say it still gets a spin today… so when Sebastian Bach, the voice of Skid Row comes to town and is going to play the album in full, this is something I wasn’t going to miss. While I may no longer be the youth, I am still very prepared to go wild tonight.
Willie J’s 6v6s open the show and I have to say that I’m pretty impressed. They are killing it. Great sound, great presence, and a massively tight rhythm section really kick this three piece into full gear. Definitely a band I’ll check out again. That was an impressive way to open the night.
Here we go… as Sebastian tears onto the stage the band kick into ‘What Do I Got To Lose?’ and this huge. That voice is insane and he is firing, he is stoked to be here and you can tell tonight is going to be special. That heavy riff hits and the microphone swinging means it’s time for ‘Slave to The Grind’ as he’s hitting the big notes and commanding the crowd he’s always been a pro and tonight he’s showing us again just why he’s still doing this 36 years on. It’s time to head back to 1989 and the brilliant debut Skid Row album we’re here to celebrate. ‘Here I Am’ reminds you just how good it is, then ‘Makin’ a Mess’ keeps the album going and this awesome. Also it’s truly amazing to see a sold out crowd here loving this and enjoying these songs we all grew up with. Have to make mention early that this band is truly huge too, they are holding this down! Band introductions are the best and then we launch into ‘Big Guns’ and you can just feel the joy from the stage and throughout the room. This is a treat tonight! Before it even fades out they hit ‘Sweet Little Sister’ at full speed. These songs still hold up so well and getting to hear them all tonight is unbelievable.
Story time with Sebastian is always a hoot, and as all the phones raise up for ‘18 and Life’ the crowd take over and that sounds so good then as Sebastian takes it for real they play this masterpiece and it’s the best. The notes are huge and he delivers! Sticking with the album its ’Rattlesnake Shake’ and it’s been so long since we’ve heard this one live, if ever to be honest now that I think about it. That should be a staple in the set, that was fun!! That was tight.
“Hey Sydney do we got any KISS fans in the audience tonight?” said to a resounding cheer. Tonight it’s a tribute to Ace with ‘Shock Me’ and what a tribute that was. Baz being one of the biggest KISS fans there is does this so much justice. Thank you Sebastian for this. Back to the 80’s with ‘Can’t Stand the Heartache’ and the trade off vocals in this one work so well and you can just see everyone loving this. Time for solo track ‘Freedom’ from his newest album which keeps things rockin’ before ‘Piece of Me’ has the cowbell working overtime, and this is huge in here tonight. Hitting the big notes, he shows us just how good he is, and he is on absolute fire tonight.
‘Future of Youth’ is heavy and that’s a killer track and a great inclusion in the set. Love these new ones thrown in to compliment the set. Taking back to 1992 with ‘Monkey Business’ and this being one of my favourite Skid Row tracks let’s see how it goes tonight. *waits for cowbell* there we go!! This is massive and you can tell everyone loves it just as much as I do. A mid song sing along breaks things up and then taking it into some Ozzy with ‘I Don’t Know’ which they nail before bringing it back to ‘Monkey Business’ and closing it out. That was epic.
An acoustic guitar makes its way to the front of the stage and we all know what that means. Before that Baz throws in a little AC/DC for Bon, with some ‘TNT’ which was sweet. Now some ‘Heaven and Hell’ for Ronnie James Dio, and you can tell he’s having a ball up there tonight. A thank you to us all here and a tribute to those that can’t be, this dedication to them and it’s ’I Remember You’ which is easily one of the best power ballads of that era if not ever. Hearing this live is always a treat and never fails to hit. Playing the album closer ‘Midnight / Tornado’ and I actually don’t think I’ve ever heard this one live before and that was great! It just makes you remember hearing that album for the first time and how good every song was because they all stand up and take their place. This has been brilliant. Playing the only one from the album they haven’t done yet, it’s of course ‘Youth Gone Wild’ that was something else. What a song and he played it with the same passion he does every time but tonight just felt like another level as this room is pure energy tonight.
After a quick break, they’re back and story time before absolutely slaying Rose Tattoo’s ‘We Can’t Be Beaten’ and that was something special especially with Angry Anderson in the house, as I spent more time looking at Angry watching the performance, he was beyond chuffed. What a moment. That was a treat and the joy Sebastian had playing that was amazing. What I love about Baz is he’s a fan of music, he doesn’t do these songs for likes or because it’s cool to do them, he does them because he loves them and it shows.
Closing with ‘Get The Fuck Out’ aside from this being a beast of a song I’m instantly transported back to Frankie’s Pizza and many a 4am finish as that was the regular closer. What a way to finish an amazing set and an amazing trip down memory lane. Sebastian has still got it, his voice is as strong as ever, his band is super tight, and at 57 years old he’s just schooling everyone else from that era.
That was awesome. As always whenever Sebastian is in town… May the Bach be with you!
Essential Information
Venue: The Enmore Theatre – Sydney
Date: November 28, 2025
Presented by: Metropolis Touring / David Roy Williams
Website: http://www.sebastianbach.com
Set List:
What Do I Got to Lose?
Slave to the Grind
Here I Am
Makin’ a Mess
Big Guns
Sweet Little Sister
18 and Life
Rattlesnake Shake
Shock Me
Can’t Stand the Heartache
Freedom
Piece of Me
Future of Youth
Monkey Business / I Don’t Know
I Remember You
Midnight / Tornado
Youth Gone Wild
We Can’t Be Beaten
Get the Fuck Out
